This invention relates to a process for making coke from coal and, more particularly, to the recovery of coke oven waste heat in a complete coke production process.
In conventional coke production processes, coking coal is fed into coke ovens where it is heated in the absence of air to transform the coal to coke. Coking ovens typically include a regenerator chamber below the oven where combustion air is heated prior to being mixed with the firing gas used to heat the coke ovens. On completion of the coking process, the hot coke which is at a temperature of about 1000.degree. C. is removed from the oven and taken to a quenching tower where it is sprayed with water to cool it.
The hot coke coming from the coking ovens has a significant quantity of sensible heat. Processes are known for utilizing that sensible heat. For example, in German Pat. Nos. 24 34 872 and 24 15 758, there are disclosed processes wherein the hot coke is cooled and the sensible heat of the hot coke is used either directly or indirectly to dry and/or preheat the coking coal charge.